Gordon Brown had decided to launch a class war against “silver spoon” David
Cameron before he was even appointed as Tory leader, the leaked files
disclose.

In autumn 2005, as Mr Cameron was emerging as the prospective Conservative leader, Mr Brown began plotting to attack his education and background.

In a note written in October 2005, Mr Brown repeatedly emphasised that Mr Cameron and the Conservatives are “elitist”.

“We must show why a Tory out of Eton, Oxford and high society trying to play on people’s aspiration for status cannot succeed,” he wrote. “No silver spoon in our mouths.”

Mr Brown predicted that the Tories would portray Mr Cameron as a “user of NHS/state schools” and decided to make Labour “the symbol of rising aspiration”. He said: “Our propaganda must show that the Tories remain elitist.”

The plan fell apart spectacularly at the 2008 by-election in Crewe and Nantwich. Labour lost the safe seat to the Tory Edward Timpson after trying to paint him as a “toff”. Mr Brown sought to distance himself from the campaign, which polls said was deeply unpopular.